BAD is returning in 2025:

Thursday 11 - Saturday 13 September

ABOUT BAD

BAD is all about crime.

BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival is an independent not-for-profit annual event that explores what crime can tell us about human beings. Speakers include writers, journalists, academics, podcasters, broadcasters and film-makers, as well as professionals from the justice system such as detectives, judges, lawyers, psychologists and forensic scientists.

About BAD

BAD PEOPLE

CHAIR

Dr Sue Turnbull

Sue Turnbull is Senior Professor of Communication and Media at the University of Wollongong. She has been reviewing crime fiction for The Sydney Morning Herald and the Age for over twenty years.

She has been a crime fiction judge for the Ned Kelly Awards, the Davitt Awards and is an Ambassador for Sisters in Crime Australia. Her academic publications include The TV Crime Drama (Edinburgh University Press 2014) and Media Audiences (Palgrave Macmillan 2020).

Bad People: Sue Turnbull

Artistic Director

Catherine du Peloux Menagé

After a career in educational publishing, Catherine is now a teacher and facilitator at writers’ festivals and literary events. She co-founded the St Albans Writers’ Festival in 2015 and was its Artistic Director from 2015 to 2018. Catherine is Director of the Rose Scott Women Writers’ Festival at the Women’s Club and a Judge of the annual Ned Kelly Awards.

She has been Artistic Director of BAD Sydney since 2019.

BAD People: Catherine Du Peloux Menagé

BOARD MEMBER

Suzanne Leal

SUZANNE LEAL is the author of novels Running with IvanThe Teacher’s Secret and The Deceptions, for which she won the Nib People’s Choice Prize and was shortlisted for the Davitt Awards and the Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award. Suzanne began her legal career as a criminal lawyer and is now a senior member of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal. 

An experienced facilitator and host at community, corporate and literary events, Suzanne is the founder of Thursday Book Club, a relaxed, friendly book club connecting readers online.

Suzanne’s new novel, The Watchful Wife, will be released in July. www.suzanneleal.com

Suzanne Leal

BOARD MEMBER

Michael Burge

A rural-noir author who actually lives in the bush, journalist Michael Burge is passionate about keeping regional communities in the national conversation. His debut crime novel Tank Water and its sequel Dirt Trap are released by MidnightSun Publishing, and his historical crime thriller The Watchnight is published by Histria Books. He has edited and written for the Guardian, Fairfax Media, Australian Community Media and the Journal of Australian Studies. A graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Michael is an experienced event and workshop facilitator.
Michael Burge by Max S Harding 4

BOARD MEMBER

Joanne Chua-Robertson

Joanne Chua-Robertson is the Chief Growth Officer and co-investor in an AI Technology Start-up which develops Large Language Models to detect personal and sensitive information in large datasets. Joanne has worked for more than 25 years consulting with corporations, law firms and
regulators in the use of forensic and eDiscovery technology to gather evidence in white collar crime investigations and litigation; and to protect privacy in data governance and cyber security resilience.

Joanne is currently writing her first crime thriller novel set in Far North Queensland and is an active member, podcast producer and host of the In Conversation podcast series with Tropical Writers Inc.

Joanne Chua-Robertson

BOARD MEMBER

Warwick Shanks

Warwick is a Partner in the professional services firm KPMG where he has worked for more than 30 years, specialising in external audit and related services.  He has extensive governance experience with not-for-profit organisations through his audit and advisory roles and he has also served on many boards and committees.

He is currently Deputy Chancellor of the University of Wollongong and a Director of Merrigong Theatre Company (Illawarra Performing Arts Centre).

Warwick is an avid reader and listener to audiobooks, and he particularly loves crime fiction.

Bad People: Warwick Shanks

BOARD MEMBER

Dr Marion McCutcheon

Dr Marion McCutcheon is a communications economist and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Canberra’s News and Media Research Centre, with extensive experience as a policy researcher and as an academic. Her interests include the media industries and the creative economy, and how society benefits from investing in culture, with recent work including a book co-authored with the University of Wollongong’s Sue Turnbull, Transnational TV CrimeFrom Scandinavia to the Outback.  Marion reads eclectically for pleasure, and usually has a crime novel on the go.

Dr Marion McCutcheon

BOARD MEMBER

Debbie McInnes

Debbie has been involved in public relations for over thirty years, establishing her boutique agency, DMCPR Media in 1993. Since then, DMCPR has reset the bar in communications strategy delivery, with unprecedented media coverage outcomes for clients in publishing, the arts, music, not-for-profit and corporate arena. Her passion to help others share their message is what has seen her succeed and form long-lasting client relationships spanning decades.
 
Prior to founding her consultancy, Debbie worked in sales at Williams Collins publishing house and then publicity, before moving to Pan Macmillan in publicity where she was responsible for big brand author campaigns such as Barbara Taylor Bradford, Jackie Collins, Jack Brabham and Oliver Sacks. This opportunity enabled her to promote in a wide range of areas – the arts, sport, entertainment, business, health, travel, gardening and cookery.
Deb McInnes Headshot

BOARD MEMBER

Felix Shannon

Felix is a radio presenter, producer, technician, and educator. Together with his co-conspirator Benjamin “Herds” Herder, Felix helms 2SER 107.3FM’s crime and mystery fiction program “Death of the Reader“. He also is a regular feature on 2SER’s long-running literary program “Final Draft“.

After taking several text-based tours of the world, Felix ventured into the real world and became embedded in the rich camaraderie of crime writing, bringing readers and authors closer together through radio, podcasting, live events, and more.

Felix Shannon

FOUNDER

Michael Duffy

Michael writes the Bella Greaves series of crime novels set in the Blue Mountains, where he lives. He is a public servant and a founder of the BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival.

Michael Duffy

FOUNDER

Denis Tracey

Denis Tracey is a former academic and author of two books on family-owned business and philanthropy. He is a co-founder of BAD Sydney.  Now semi-retired he spends a lot of his time travelling and reading crime stories.

Bad People: Denis Tracey

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ALL ABOUT CRIME